Graduate student artwork celebrated at 18th annual exhibition
The School of Art and Design (SOAD) celebrate Master of Fine Art students at this year’s 18th Graduate Art Exhibition.
The show remains on display through Dec. 19 in the Janice Hardison Faulkner Gallery on the second floor of Joyner Library. The reception and awards ceremony was held Nov. 13.
Recognized with awards this year are:
- Friends of Joyner Library Purchase Award: Paul Edwards, “Chaos #2,” cotton weaving (The centerpiece of the group photo of artists with this post.)
- College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean’s Merit Award: Stacy Bolkovac, “Heart Strings #3,” oxidized copper
- School of Art and Design Director’s Award: Tansy Obryant, “Process 1,” ceramic
- School of Art and Design Award: Heather Fraccalvieri, “The Man Nodding Yes, Yes,” oil on canvas
While Edwards could not attend due to a scheduling conflict, he shared a thank you read by Jan Lewis, director of academic library services. He thanked the Friends of Joyner Library, the faculty in the SOAD for their encouragement and support, and Charlotte Fitz Daniels, who organizes the show each year.
“I’ve been honored at this annual show from my first year at ECU, and it feels extremely validating to win this top prize in the final year of my graduate journey,” said Edwards in his statement. “I hope this piece, ‘Chaos,’ will being moments of quiet reflection to students as they research and study within Joyner Library.”
Elizabeth Steiner, a 2011 Pirate Alum with an MFA in metal design, juried this year’s show and praised the artists.
“Looking at the work as a whole, I see a lot of risk taking, a lot of exploration, and a lot of digging deep, which I feel is really the purpose of grad school,” Steiner said. “I want to commend everyone who has work on display in the show. You are doing a phenomenal job.”
Bolkovac, Fraccalvieri, and Obryant appreciated the recognition in the show, and offered advice and thoughts for art students coming up next.
“Trust your professors, and when they say try something, try it,” Obryant said. “It’s really nice to be pushed hard.”
Obryant, who is also on the cusp of completing her MFA, looks forward to earning her degree and pursuing a residency in Europe to, “broaden my mind a little.”
Bolkovac and Fraccalvieri shared their thoughts on video about displaying pieces in the annual graduate student show and on advice for the next group of art students.
Congratulations to all of our graduate student artists with work on display in this year’s show: Liam Aley, Mavis Bullard, Kate Davis, Paul Edwards, Denton Fae, Heather Fraccalvieri, Sam Gorritz, Morgan Hesse, Austin Irby, Rachael Lowman, Tansy Obryant, Stacy Bolkovac, Narges Sedaghat, Autumn Standbridge, Ava Starnes, Savannah Willis.
Read more and see award winners from previous Graduate Student Exhibitions.
Heart Strings by Stacy Bolkovac
Chaos #2 by Paul Edwards
The Man Nodding Yes, Yes by Heather Fraccalvieri
Process 1 by Tansy Obryant